Disclaimer: I own no one except for Amara.
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Losing So Much, Gaining So Little
Chapter I: Introduction
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I looked up at the sky as the sun fell. It looked like a never ending rainbow, mixed with orange, red, yellow, purple, and blue. It was a beautiful sight, but as my mother cradled me in her arms and I looked back down at the ground, all I could see was my father's body being dragged off by chariot, ropes tied around his ankles. I didn't understand what had happened then, but by the tears in my mother's eyes, I knew it wasn't good. I started crying, because I was upset my mother was so sad. She rocked me softly, singing me a little lullaby. I didn't go to sleep, but I did stop crying. I wasn't too sure what my mother was saying to me, but I know those words well. "Shh, Astyanax.. it's alright. Daddy's going to come home, and everything will be better." My mother knew she was lying to me, but it made me feel happy.
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Mother had gone to the market place, so I was with Aunt Helen. My cousin, Amara, and I were playing for a little while, but she decided to go to sleep. I laid down too, closing my eyes, pretending to sleep. I heard Aunt Helen crying, but I kept my eyes closed, even though I wanted to open them badly. I finally figured it out, she missed Uncle Paris. I missed Uncle Paris too, but I especially missed my father.. even if I didn't know him that well. I frowned, standing up and walking over to her. She placed her arms around me, pulling me close. "You miss Uncle Paris, don't you..?" I asked her, speaking softly as to not awaken Amara. She showed me a sad smile.
"Yes, and I miss your father, too," she told me. I thought she was going to say more, but her voice just trailed off.
"Is it hard? You know, to raise a baby alone?" She only gave another sad smile. Her eyes were pink and puffy, probably from crying.
"Sometimes it feels like..we've lost so much, and yet gained so little.. and it's all my fault." I heard her say, and I shook my head, hugging my aunt.
"No. It's not all your fault!" I shouted, waking up Amara. She looked around, dazed and confused. I heard her mumbling to herself, lying back down and pulling the fur blanket over her head. Aunt Helen looked at the ground, as if to tell me I was wrong..it was all her fault.
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My mother came back, what seemed to be days later, but I knew it was only hours. Amara had decided to take an extremely long nap, so I spent most of my time playing with the ivory lion my father had carved for me when I was a baby, listening to the stories Aunt Helen told me of my father. I looked out the window. The sun was beginning to set, and it reminded me of that day. I gave a slight shudder as she stepped through the door. She walked over to me and picked me up, looking at Aunt Helen. My mother could tell Aunt Helen was sad, I could see it clearly. She simply smiled. I held onto my lion, as if my life depended on it, as my mother carried me back to the room.
"You know, I can just walk with you." I told her.
"But I want to carry you."
"Um, okay, it's not far though."
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I realize this was short, but if I get enough encouraging reviews, I will continue it. I'm not sure why I wrote it, I do love Troy, but I don't know. I've never read the Iliad though, but whatever. The movie was great though, and the actors did an awesome job.
